The appraisal department was nothing if not professional. After a brief examination, they quickly produced a detailed report:
Item: Mist Crystal OrbThreat Level: None (harmless to anyone except the intended subject)Sealing Method: NoneClassification: CommonFunction: Medium for the Rite of Soul Desecration
Description:A typical item crafted by injecting powdered Mist Crystal into a transparent sphere.The powder blocks spiritual sight and isolates the flow of spirit energy—the higher the concentration, the stronger the effect. It is often used to test spirit vision.Because of its unique properties, it is also favored by doomsday cultists in their forbidden rituals.
The Rite of Soul Desecration is considered the vilest among all forbidden rites.The caster must first win the subject's unconditional love, and then—together with someone other than the subject—commit an act that the subject both desires most and has never shared with the caster.
That act is recorded in full detail to become the core of corruption.The more vivid, emotional, and complete the record, the stronger the effect.The record is then hidden close to the subject—somewhere near, yet unseen.The more the subject yearns to uncover it, the faster their spirit is eroded.
After a time, the ritual completes.By reciting the profane words of activation, the caster can seize direct control of the subject. If the distance between them grows too great, the link fades and control breaks.Even in its dormant state, however, the ritual continues to poison the spirit. It is subtle, nearly undetectable, and almost impossible to dispel or purify.
The only way to undo it is for the subject to learn of the record itself—the clearer and more directly they learn it, the faster the corruption fades.But if the subject keeps the record unknowingly for too long, they become a slave to the caster forever—distance no longer matters, and no release will ever come.
When Rod finished reading the report, a chill ran through his whole body.Doomsday cultists... they're a cancer on humanity.No wonder this ritual was branded the most wicked of all.
The black priest had hidden the record deep within the Mist Crystal Orb.Kalamon's spirit vision was only ten—he could have lived his whole life without ever seeing it.
Had Rod not appeared when he did, Kalamon would have remained the priest's thrall forever.Ironically, it was because Rod had sacrificed so much of his own dignity that Kalamon learned part of the truth—and half of the curse was broken.That single act had saved his life.
Suddenly, a thought struck Rod."What about Raistlin's suicide?" he asked.
Musso set the report down, his voice grave."According to the Church's medical division, Raistlin's spirit was afflicted by a strange curse. The Curse Division still hasn't identified what kind."
Kais cut in, "I remember his mentor mentioning a failed hunt near Ghost Lake—a total disaster. Raistlin came back shattered, stayed withdrawn for weeks. Then, out of nowhere, he recovered. Maybe it's connected?"
Musso frowned, expression tightening."If that's true, then the cult's arrangements run deeper than we thought. What exactly are they after?"
The room fell silent.
Rod felt uneasy. He had told them everything—everything except the truth about himself.And the cult's ritual… had far too much in common with his own condition.
Then Manolobana, who had been silent till now, spoke:"Did any of you actually see the image inside the orb?"
The appraiser shook his head. "None of us have spirit vision that strong."
"Is there a way to extract the image?"
"Impossible," the appraiser replied. "Once a Mist Crystal Orb is sealed, it becomes a single unalterable whole. Any attempt to break it would destroy the mercury imprint that stores the data."
"Then how did you confirm it was a medium for the Rite of Desecration?"
"There are residue marks—distinct to that ritual. We can't be mistaken."
Manolobana gave a cold laugh."Marks can be forged. And there's only one person here who claims to have seen what's inside. How do we know he isn't lying, spinning tales to mislead us?"
Rod frowned. "You're one of those stone-core types too, aren't you?"
Manolobana's temper flared. "I think you can't see anything at all! You're lying!"
The words left his mouth before he could stop them.Rod gave him no chance to take them back."Spirit vision can be measured, can't it? Then test me."
Musso's eyes gleamed. "Fetch a high-grade Mist Crystal Orb," he ordered.
The technician hurried out and soon returned with a golden orb."This is the highest grade we have—it can measure up to ninety-nine units of spirit vision, accurate to a single point."
Rod asked casually, "There's no hundred?"
"No. We've never been able to refine Mist Crystal powder to a perfect hundred-percent concentration."
"Alright," Musso said. "Begin. Use your sight and tell us what you see inside."
Musso and Kais watched him intently.Manolobana looked unsettled.
Rod drew a breath. A thought flickered, and the Eye of the Soul opened.
Musso murmured approvingly, "Activating vision without any assistive motion… impressive."
Manolobana said nothing, his face like stone.
Rod focused on the orb. The mist within thinned, shadows swirling.Soon, the first image came into view.
"A deer—leaping through a forest."
The appraiser nodded. "Fifty vision." He tapped the orb lightly.
A new image appeared.
"A black cat chasing a mouse through a shabby room."
"Seventy vision," the appraiser confirmed.
Musso and Kais both smiled broadly.Manolobana's face darkened further.
Another tap.
"A white spectral horse, soaring into the air."
The appraiser hesitated; disbelief flickered in his eyes."Eighty vision."
Musso's grin widened. Kais's hands rubbed together in excitement, eyes shining.Manolobana's expression sank like a stone.
Another tap.
"Mushrooms—trees of them—in blue, red, green, violet, and white."
Sweat beaded on the appraiser's forehead. He could no longer maintain his calm."Ninety vision."
Kais sprang to his feet, chest swelling like a balloon, though he made no sound—afraid to scare away the miracle.
The final tap.
Rod saw a fifth image:A golden sun rising from the edge of the world, flooding everything in radiant light until the picture itself blurred.
He hesitated, then said quietly,"A sun. A golden sun."
The appraiser stared, wide-eyed, as though he'd seen a ghost. It took him several tries to form the words."N-ninety-nine… full vision!"
"Ha!" Kais roared, the balloon bursting. The shout was so loud dust fell from the ceiling. Rod nearly went deaf.
"Another complete Seer! I've never met one so young—we've got a new star rising in the academy!"
"Good, good, good, good…"Musso repeated the word like a broken record, cigarette burning down to his fingers unnoticed, eyes blazing with feverish delight.
Manolobana spoke again, voice cold."Could he have known the answers beforehand?"
The appraiser's face twisted, as if he'd swallowed a fly."This orb is brand-new. He's the first to test it. No one knows the sequence but the maker and the tester."
Manolobana said flatly, "Then it's possible. And if the cult of the Polluted truly harbors a perfect Seer, that's very bad news for us."
The appraiser wisely fell silent.
Musso and Kais, unfazed, were grinning from ear to ear.
Kais turned to Rod. "Little Roro, how do you feel about the city guard?"
Rod scratched his head. "Not sure."
"Pretty good, eh? Any plans to join after graduation?"
"I… don't really know," Rod replied carefully.
"Great! I'll note you down right now—you'll go straight to the city guard after graduation. I'll set up the post myself—"
Manolobana coughed sharply.
Kais spun around, stiff smile. "Lord Gula, you must be tired. Let us handle the rest."
"I'm perfectly fine under the protection of the Holy Flame," Manolobana said coldly. "And I think we should continue discussing the sewer incident."
Kais grumbled, "What's there to discuss? Same lunatic cult trying to hold another crazed ritual down there. Don't worry—I'll find them, crush their skulls one by one, and avenge our fallen guards."
Manolobana sneered."It's not that simple. As far as I know, black priests always shroud themselves in mist to hide their true faces. If your vision is really that strong," he said to Rod, "you must have seen her face—known who she was. Yet you never mentioned it. Why?"
Musso and Kais both turned toward Rod, waiting.
Rod took a deep breath. "I didn't say it earlier because it's complicated—and sensitive. I'll explain everything, but—"
"Just tell us who," Manolobana cut him off impatiently.
Rod met his gaze. "Alexis, the magistrate of Outer District Two."
The words hung heavy in the air.
"Impossible!" Manolobana snapped. "Alexis is an exemplary official—she could never be a doomsday cultist. You can't just accuse her because she testified against you!"
Rod's tone chilled. "Then summon her. We can face each other right here."
"Gladly," Manolobana sneered. "Lord Musso, send for her. I'll expose this lie myself. Alexis's promotion passed my personal review—she is not a cultist. Her record speaks for itself."
Rod frowned. "You reviewed her?"
"Everyone in the internal tribunal knows it," Manolobana said proudly.
Moments later, a messenger rushed in.
"Alexis is missing!""We found unknown ritual materials in her home—along with rotting corpses and skulls!"
Musso and Kais leapt to their feet.Kais glared at the iron-masked inquisitor. "So… you were the one who approved her?"
Manolobana was silent for several seconds."Don't twist my words. That's slander."